Spanning both sides of the Perfume River, the Imperial City of Hue is one of the most popular destinations in Vietnam. It is well known for its numerous 19th century ruins, royal tombs and of course a market. We checked in to our hotel (2-3 stars are more than adequate) and had enough time and energy to wander through the market. After the solitude of My Son, the rush hour traffic of two-wheelers (motorized and not) was at times overwhelming!
Dong Bo Market was busy and it had something for everyone: inside booths and outside stalls had produce, spices and a particularly large selection of seafood. Unfortunately, there were way too many flies for my liking. There were many Kodak moments, nonetheless.
As we headed out to dinner, the heavens opened up: thunder, lightening and a deluge of rain, coinciding with a momentary loss of electricity. Did I mention that Hue has the distinction of being one of the rainiest cities (about 120” each year) in Vietnam? This was our first rain.
By the morning the temperatures were in the 80’s and significantly less humid for the moment. Our first stop was the Imperial Citadel, a 6 square mile walled fort that dominates the city. Construction of the citadel was begun in 1804 and it served as Vietnam's capital until around 1945. This moated area includes the Thai Ho Palace and Forbidden Purple City, the former home of the royal family. The first thing you'll see on approaching it is Cot Co, the big flag tower.
The main entrance, through the Noon Gate, is so named because the sun, representing the emperor, is at its highest at noon. Facing south, the gate is also associated with prosperity. (I need to mention here that I became a millionaire in Vietnam – more about that later.) The Palace is the most important of the structures as this is where the emperor received important Vietnamese dignitaries and foreign diplomats.
The Noon Gate is behind us in this snap. Only the Emperor could use the central doorway, nobles used the side doors and mounted horsemen used arched doorways further to the side. The gate, constructed in 1833, is built in a U-shape to symbolize open arms for guests and incorporates repeated uses of the number 5 and 9 -- the luckiest numbers. 100 columns support the upper portion of the building.
I was fascinated by the decorative use of colored china and porcelain in the construction of all the buildings. The big drum is a magnet for tourist’s fingers!
There were a few busloads of school children visiting today and it appeared that this was the setting for their class picture.
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I had to laugh when I remember my own grade school class pictures being taken on the stage of the auditorium.
The main palace inside, the Thai Hoa Palace, is ornately decorated in red lacquer and gold.
Further in, there are the halls of the mandarins on either end - military mandarins on one side and civil on the other. These halls were where the mandarins dressed in their ceremonial robes for royal functions.
Much of the interior was destroyed during the 1968 Tet offensive when the North Vietnamese held the fort for 26 days before being driven out by American forces. The damage inflicted to the architecture is still being repaired, but the Citadel may never be fully restored.
The moat is well stocked with carp; they are especially large from being fed by many tourists. There is a tale from Vietnamese folklore about a carp that wanted to become a dragon. The carp worked so hard everyday that it eventually became a dragon. Teachers and parents use this story to encourage their children to work hard at school so that they can become whatever they want to be.
The Thai Binh Lau (Royal Library) stands in a garden with a small pond and a large bonsai.
Beyond there were pavilions used by concubines.
Walking to the back of the citadel there was little to see. The theme of the dragon is very visible in the design of this pond as well as on many of the steps. The dragon symbolizes power and has long been associated with the emperors.
On the return, we turned down a side path to The Temple.
Outside, there are nine urns, cast at the request of Emperor Minh Mang in 1836, with nine different names symbolizing the Nguyen dynasty.
On each of the urns is a finely carved collection of the 17 traditional Vietnamese patterns like stars, rivers, mountains, seas an ocean, vehicles, forestry and sea products. The patterns on these urns constitute a real encyclopedia on the country. This precious cultural heritage is incredibly well preserved and reflects the exquisite talent of Hue bronze casting artisans.
The are many exits from the Citadel and some are more decorative than others. This one was one of my favorites.
On the left bank of the Perfume River set high on Ha Khe hill is a Buddhist temple that dates to the turn of the 17th century.
Thien Mu Pagoda, a seven-storey pagoda is one of the oldest and most beautiful of the religious buildings in the country. Located between a river and a pine forest, the pagoda is deeply rooted in local legend. As the story goes, an old woman once appeared on the hill and said that a Lord would come and build a Buddhist pagoda for the country's prosperity. Hearing of this, Lord Nguyen Hoang ordered the construction of the pagoda of the "Heavenly Lady" (Thien Mu).
The pagoda was renovated in 1665. A stele was erected on the back of a marble tortoise in 1715.
There is a special sort of "shrine" here to one of the former monks of the temple. At one end of a carport is an old rusty sky blue Austin on blocks.
It was in this car that the monk, Thich Quang Duc took himself to his self-immolation in a busy Saigon intersection in 1963. He was protesting against the persecution of Buddhists by South Vietnam's administration. Photos of his self-immolation were circulated widely around the world and brought attention to the policies of the Diem regime.
Behind the tower, the main sanctuary is situated at the back of a pleasant courtyard. In addition to the monks’ quarters, there are rooms for the novices, whom were walking about the courtyard when we were there.
Phung found a great lunch spot and it was almost like being in cooking school, only we were not cooking.
I photographed most of the shrines that were omnipresent.
After lunch we bicycled (hold on to the handlebars tightly) through the city to the home of a royal descendant. I thought this little oasis in the city was called the Temple of the Princess, but it might be a figment of my imagination. Within the walls of this estate was a feng shui designed sanctuary.
This delightful man, a bit self-serving, is connected to the royal family by marriage. We had a guided tour of the garden and then the house. His historical artifacts and memorabilia are extensive and he had stories about each piece.
Our brains were overloaded with new knowledge and it was time to tend to our bodies. Penny, Jenny and Caroline had decided early on that a massage in each city was reasonable. We found an establishment that appeared legitimate and we went in.
We started laughing when we were handed the smallest of towels to wrap ourselves in. Communication was a bit problematic, but eventually we were given towels large enough to cover-up.
This was my first experience of having a very petite Asian woman jump up onto the massage table with me. Quite an experience – enough said!
And the adventure continues as we explore the Perfume River…
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